Page 185 - the-adventures-of-tom-sawyer

Chapter XXIII

T last the sleepy atmosphere was stirred — and vigor-
Aously: the murder trial came on in the court. It became
the absorbing topic of village talk immediately. Tom could
not get away from it. Every reference to the murder sent a
shudder to his heart, for his troubled conscience and fears
almost persuaded him that these remarks were put forth in
his hearing as ‘feelers”; he did not see how he could be sus-
pected of knowing anything about the murder, but still he
could not be comfortable in the midst of this gossip. It kept
him in a cold shiver all the time. He took Huck to a lonely
place to have a talk with him. It would be some relief to
unseal his tongue for a little while; to divide his burden of
distress with another sufferer. Moreover, he wanted to as-
sure himself that Huck had remained discreet.
‘Huck, have you ever told anybody about — that?’
‘Bout what?’
‘You know what.’
‘Oh — ‘course I haven’t.’
‘Never a word?’
‘Never a solitary word, so help me. What makes you
ask?’
‘Well, I was afeard.’
‘Why, Tom Sawyer, we wouldn’t be alive two days if that
got found out. YOU know that.’

1 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer